Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chief Imran Khan took to Twitter on Thursday to criticise Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif over his remarks from a day earlier, saying, "With such a foreign minister, who needs enemies?"
Asif, who is attending the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, had said, “Nawaz Sharif paid a political price for peace efforts with India,” during his talk at the Asia Society forum on Tuesday.
“Sharifs and their cronies are desperate to appease Indo-US lobby and interests as their properties are all stashed away in the West,” said Khan in a tweet.
The PTI chief also accused the foreign minister of targeting the armed forces as part of PML-N’s alleged Indo-US appeasement.
Earlier on Tuesday, Asif had asked the US to stop blaming Pakistan for the Haqqani Network and for the Hafiz Saeeds [referring to the head of banned Jamaatud Dawa].
"These were the people who were your darlings just 20 to 30 years back. They were being dined and wined in the White House and now you say 'go to hell Pakistanis because you are nurturing these people'," he had said.
Further clarifying Islamabad's position, Asif had said: "It is very easy to say Pakistan is floating the Haqqanis and Hafiz Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). They are liabilities. I accept that they are liabilities, but give us time to get rid of them because we don't have the assets to match these liabilities and you are increasing them [our liabilities] further."
Referring to the foreign minister's "ownership of certain militant groups", Imran said, “With such a foreign minister, who needs enemies?”
Earlier this month, following the BRICS nations' "regional security concern" over the militant groups allegedly based in Pakistan, Asif had acknowledged the existence of such organisations, naming LeT and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) among the internationally banned outfits operating from within Pakistan.
Calling for a stronger stance against the banned groups, Asif had said, "We should impose some restrictions on the activities of elements like LeT and JeM, so that we can show the global community that we have put our house in order," he said.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had also [backed the foreign minister's statement] that "Pakistan needs to bring its house in order".
Comments (50) Closed
Eminent mixed signs of increased desperation and frustration - take a chill pill man.
Imran is right khwaja asif is not fit to be any kind of government minister, his views frankly on women show a person stuck firmly in the 20th century unable and unwilling to adapt to the needs of Pakistan in 2017. he should be sacked.
Khwaja Asif makes controversial and even childish remarks in NA too.
So who is IK trying to appease.......we all know who IK is serving since long.........however, the umpire didnt hand him over the innings in 2002-03 and neither in 2014-15 when he asked for the finger to be raised, and most probably he will not even get the innings in 2018 too.
IK is right.
Imran Khan's inability to make a distinction between a pint and a quart is the biggest problem facing Pakistan.
Fully great. Not suitable for any high profile post .
For once a Pakistani FM has spoken truth and nothing but truth and has departed from the usual all covered and masked rhetorics. IK can disagree on some part or choice of words but every word of what Kh. Asif said is true. One must not be misled by the false propaganda being spread by casting aspersions. 2ndly not a word spoken by Kh Asif is without the concurrence of our establishment. Pro pti media will have a show down 2nite for sure
Asif has spoken the truth that needs to be spoken, even IK has said the same at many occasions.
Imran is right.
I used to think that IK will be good for Pakistan.however given his recent statements it seems he will take the country backwards.KH Asif deserves salutations.
What are IKs policies? Anyone ever heard any?..he just seems to always point fingers, never any solution.
I suppose IK doesn't think his real estate investments in London are considered "properties stashed in the West"? Typical politicians - hypocrite and not too bright.
Khan is absolutely right .... he is unfit for any ministerial assignment ....
Couldnt agree more... Thats a fact...
I agree with it. One my rare agreement. Current administration trying to pls foreign govts to stay in power.
One needs moral courage to own facts even if hidden in a closet.
Whole world knows the truth about organisations mentioned by Khawaja Asif. By denying and not doing any thing to correct the wrongs whom do Imran Khan and we all want to befool.I think only ourselves, the world is very wise.
I agree with Imran khan.
@SAN totally agree
@SAN I totally agree with you
Agree
@Shireen yes
Agree
@Pakistani Best quote.
At least FM advised to OPEN eyes about our hypocritic behaviour on TERRORISM
I saw Asif's interview and he was simply running ahead in his talk like a road roller without even pausing or listening to questions. This is really concerning. We need diplomatic people in such forums and not emotional outbursts.
FM spoke the truth which most others including IK want to avoid for the sake of power and money...we need more such people. Acceptance of an issue is the first step in resolving it. Ik should know this from his cricketing days..
what is wrong with khawaja Asif statement????? opposition has no other issue but to criticize for the sake of criticism....
180 million souls and you cannot find one, just one person to lead any of your important posts? Reflect upon this for a moment. How did the country get to this state? May be your basic education system is broken? May be ethics and honesty have left you?
Khawaja Sahib is not a graduate of the Foreign Services Academy, he does not hold a Masters Degree in International Relations, he is a career BANKER... what do you expect.
If he was that bright, NS would have taken him as FM.
@Pakistani doesn't it mean there is no umpire. You still don't understand
It is not only Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif but most of members of parliament have questionable credentials and hardly any accomplishment in their professional life except plundering public fund.
Imran Khan tweets like Donald Trump. His supporters should try to dissuade him from using the tweeter.
With IK who needs an enemy
Imran Khan said almost the same things which K.Asif said in his recent visit to the US. People Please search for Imran khan interview with Kashif Abbasi on you tube or dailymotion and people will be surprised. Another sign of an immature politician!
What ever Imran Khan has said is 100% correct. He is a loyal Pakistani who is working hard and has the determination to make Pakistan a corruption free and prosperous country.
If he can bring revenue for armed forces saying this statement, then its ok. His statements have no weight.
@Akram Imran Khan is not fit for politics. He is misleading his followers who will be hugely disappointed when they understand they were being mislead.
Imran Khan has no clue of fundamental issues faced by Pakistan i.e. flawed definition of and strategy on national security, dis-balance of power amongst state institutions, .....
So Mr. Perfect and Always Correct feels that it is Kh. Asif who is telling the world about these monsters ...world never know about and would have never known if Kh. Asif had not spoken about them...what a visionary leader he is.
Imran Khan should concentrate on Cricket rather politics & he will do best service to nation by that way.
IK should have tried his hand only in cricket related things. Hopefully he should never come to power.
Send IK back to cricket, he is needed badly there. The boys may miss him but cricketers and fan will welcome him back. That way the subcontinent can move toward saner approaches to peace.
Imran Khan needs to focus on his case of providing proof of money he borrowed from his ex wife, or he won't have a platform to stand on in the political arena. Imran needs to stop fussing over everything, instead of constant complaining, I would like to see a plan to eliminate all this. That's where he is going to get more support, he needs to lead by example, that's where he's going to gain more momentum. Right now, the way I see it, he says one thing, and does another, cannot have double standards.
Asif told the truth. Can Im Khan disclose his property and bank accounts outside Pakistan?
@Shireen, Moral courage? Moral courage as a nation of almost 200 million to finally not elect the corrupt, not vote for any of these parties because their agendas are no different, their plans are no different at the end, the only difference is the name on the ticket.
Mr Khwaja Asif can say the same thing regarding Imran Khan ,who ,single handedly ,just for the sake of power ,destroyed whatever the remains of democracy ,was there in Pakistan.Now world does not take Pakistan seriously.
Compared to the beardless cleric IK every other party is liberal. a bitter truth for the pti chief to accept